West Des Moines is a city located in Polk County Iowa. With a 2023 population of 72,356, it is the 7th largest city in Iowa and the 562nd largest city in the United States.West Des Moines is currently growing at a rate of 1.7% annually and its population has increased by 5.29% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 68,723 in 2020. Spanning over 48 miles, West Des Moines has a population density of 1,536 people per square mile.
The average household income in West Des Moines is $103,983 with a poverty rate of 8.38%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in West Des Moines is 35.7 years, 34.4 years for males, and 36.9 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of West Des Moines was:
White
Asian
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2.99
Average Family Size
2.25
Average Household Size
59.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
$52,581
Average Earnings
$57,858
Average Male
$44,081
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
85.42% of West Des Moines residents speak only English, while 14.58% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 5.66% of the population.
rate
8.38%
Overall Poverty Rate
6.97%
Male Poverty Rate
6.58%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in West Des Moines is Hispanic, with 40.48% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in West Des Moines is Asian, with 5.28% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.53%. Among those working part-time, it was 12.18%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 12.74%.
rate
rate
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
49.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
52.3%
Male Marriage Rate
47.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
3,137
Number of Veterans
2,936
Male Veterans
201
Female Veterans
count
count
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
4.33%
Veteran Poverty Rate
27.75%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
73.5%
Labor Force Participation
71.6%
Employment Rate
2.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
59.23%
Born in West Des Moines
86.36%
Native Born
10.74%
Foreign Born
5.65%
Non Citizen
5.09%
Naturalized
86.36% of West Des Moines residents were born in the United States, with 59.23% having been born in Iowa. 5.65% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.